Heated Debate Escalates Over Planned Development In Franktown
By Tom Mustin
FRANKTOWN, Colo. (CBS4)- A meeting to decide the fate of a controversial development in Franktown, is expected to last late into the night on Tuesday.
The planning commission voted against the project last month. Now the Douglas County Commissioners will have the final say.
The dog and pony show gathered in Castle Rock to protest a planned development in Franktown.
"Save Franktown. Keep it real, keep it rural," Ginny Plouff told CBS4's Tom Mustin.
Tuesday, the Douglas County Board of Commissioners met to decide the fate of Franklin Village, a plan to rezone and add 286 homes and a strip mall to this open space near Highways 86 and 83.
A packed house of several hundred residents attended the meeting, most like Ginny and her horse, opposed to changing the landscape of their homes.
"Princess Buttercup and I decided we need to represent all the equines in Franktown because the proposed development would be devastating to our community," she said.
Diana Love spearheaded the oppositions.
"Everybody I know who moved here moved here because it is rural, They wanted to get away from the urban sprawl."
She says in short, Franktown Village would devastate the town, "The wildlife, the open space, the water, the rural atmosphere will all be destroyed by this development."
Jack Reutzel represents the builder. He says Douglas County is growing quickly. The master plan put forth in the 80s could still work. The development would not change Franktown.
"The definition of rural is in the eye of the beholder. Rural in Douglas County means one unit per 35 acres. They're not one unit per 35 acres. It's exactly the kind of small plan development the master plan calls for," he told Mustin.
A debatable opinion, and one that has this small town up in arms.
"We would hate it," said Love.
Sixty-five residents have signed up to speak at the meeting on Tuesday night. The commissioners say if the hearing lasts too long, it will be continued Thursday at 2:30 p.m.
Tom Mustin is CBS4's Weekend Anchor. He has been with CBS4 since 2002, and is always looking for great story ideas. Connect with Tom on Facebook or follow him on Twitter @TomCBS4.